This is an old story I wrote for rowan-greenleaf some years ago for the DG Fic Exchange. I deleted it for several reasons and I'm now posting it again u_u Enjoy!


Ginny ignored the roaring of the crowd at the packed Quidditch stadium as her broom swerved in an unsteady motion when the heavy, dull Bludger hit the wooden tail, leaving a new wound on its mahogany surface. But the redhead couldn't care less; her fine stability skills did wonders with her flight and, as soon as she was hit by the big, round object, she was back in the game safe and sound. Had it not been for the unpleasant mark on her broom, she probably wouldn't even remember the petty incident a couple of weeks later.

Her mind was focused on another round-shaped object, though. The Quaffle, now in the hands of a fellow player, was the object of her utmost longing. Cameron Daley, a fellow Chaser, passed the ball to her without any hesitation or flaw while a dark-haired Chudley Cannons player approached her, subtly assaulting her personal space in one futile attempt to take the Quaffle from her hands. Too late, Ginny thought with joy; the ball had gone through the central hoop, barely slipping through the Keeper's leather gloves.

One half of the colossally crammed stadium gasped in horror and a few voiced their indignation through a series of unpleasant jeers and boos. The way in which Ginevra Weasley had deceived the Cannons' best and most famous Keeper, Cormac McLaggen, was atrocious. Horrid, to say the least. That was, at least, the opinion of the orange-robed supporters. On the other side of the stadium, the verdict was quite different; Ginny Weasley had done a great job by pretending to pass the Quaffle to Adrian but sending it directly to the hoop's heart. Only rarely did she manage to pull such a move, but she had, and the ten points were theirs.

Ginny Weasley yelled in happiness, throwing a fist up in the air and flying around the large pitch with delight. Overwhelmed, she flew to her starting point after an encouraging pat on the shoulder from her captain and waited for McLaggen to throw the ball back into the game.

The game started again and, in only a second, the Quaffle was being passed from Chaser to Chaser, only this time it was the opposing team who took possession of it. Ginny was intensely focused on the current owner of the ball, Annie Beale, and proceeded to approach the Chaser when, all of a sudden, the environment changed.

Multiple screams of victory made her forget about Annie. In the intermission of a second, Draco Malfoy, who was now holding the golden piece of success with both hands, had turned the stadium into something else. Not one member of the audience remained seated; they all seemed to find it a necessity to stand up, whether it was in order to sing victory chants, to shout at their rivals, or just to go home and find shelter after such a long, hot day.

Ginny sighed in relief, letting a tired smile into her sweaty face. But, within seconds, her shy smile turned into a beaming grin and she was joining the rest of her team with pride. It was over, she thought. The Appleby Arrows had defeated the Chudley Cannons by 420 over 180 points, respectively. The orange team was already on the ground and heading to their changing rooms in a lethargic pace after having exchanged a cordial shake of hands with their euphoric opponents.

Ginny's heart was pounding with thrill while she hugged Leah Emmet, the best Keeper she had ever met, and both comically struggled to maintain the balance on their brooms. The young woman in front of Ginny was flushed with heat, her jet black hair messed up with sweat and dirt, not unlike Ginny's, but the beautiful smile on her face and the look of satisfaction in her eyes concealed her exhaustion in an incredible way.

"We made it, Ginny!" Leah yelled, for although they were barely thirty centimetres away from one another, the crowds were starting to get noisier. "We did it, we did it, we did it!" the Keeper chanted as she danced hilariously on her broom.

"We did it!" Ginny agreed, proudly, "Just one more game and we'll win the cup!" she added with vigor while observing her captain shake hands with Malfoy and then embrace him in a manly hug.

In fact, she thought while looking at the blond, the one reason why she couldn't describe her life as completely amazing was the almost daily presence of Draco Malfoy in her life.

Ginny had joined the Arrows more than a year ago and by then Malfoy had already been on the team for a year and a half. He was well-known among the players for his peculiar concentration skills and the ability to control his movements even in the most unnerving situations.

He had an amazing swing on the broom, a talent acquired after more than a decade of strict, non-stop practice. At first, this sport had been just the result of his father's senseless whim, only interested in his son's excellence in every area, but, with the years, the annoying task had become an interesting hobby and, later, a passion, a way of escaping reality. That's how, during the hot summer of 1999, he realized he didn't want to succeed his father in the family business, but start living his own life instead. He had wanted so many things in life but none of them involved working closely with his father. And, while in his life he craved a lot of things, he had a hunger for Quidditch above all.

However, from Ginny's point of view, Draco Malfoy could be easily summarized in one simple word: bastard. Or, after thorough consideration, two simple words: arrogant bastard.

The match had finished with a loud, masculine and endless yell; this time the performer was Daniel Collingwood, an aristocratic Englishman with fine features and a royal legacy. He was also the Arrows' blind Beater.

"Stop it, Dan! You'll send our reputation to the rubbish!" said Ellie Fischer in a reprimanding tone while the team went through the dark tunnel that led to the changing rooms.

The stadium was almost empty now; Ginny took one glance back to contemplate the round source of light that was the beginning of the tunnel that led to the changing rooms, her broom on her shoulder and her clothes soaked with perspiration. It had been one of the hottest days of the summer, not to mention that the game had lasted four hours non-stop. Without a doubt, everyone was supposed to be soaked after a game like this, she considered.

Ginny noticed with amusement how her team had unconsciously split itself in three groups; Malfoy and Cameron were at the front, secretly discussing something; Ellie, Daniel and Adrian followed, the first two joking around while the latter silently stared at them with what could be described as disapproval, and she and Leah were a couple of steps behind, both immersed in utter silence.

"That's it!" Ginny shouted out of the blue, attracting Leah's concerned attention and Daniel's interested gaze, "I know what I need! A chocolate cake!" she continued, while the dark-haired Keeper slowly raised an eyebrow.

"Okaay…that solves the mystery of what did Ginny need," she half mocked. "Don't worry, dear, you'll eat as much cake as you want once you've packed all of your stuff and gone through Cameron's eternal speech. I'm sure he's got a lot of praising to do, especially to you and Draco," Leah uttered these last words with special emphasis. An annoying emphasis, in the redhead's opinion.

However, the Gryffindor was glad that the third round had ended; after five never-ending days at Bodmin Moor with her teammates as the only available form of social life, she just wanted to go back home and spend quality time with her family and friends. And her comfy bed.

The changing room was no more than a simple room with just enough lockers to fit their team and an adjacent showering room. No luxuries this time. Ginny melancholically remembered her last trip with her team; they had had to play against the Tutshill Tornados in Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire. That was something. The dormitories were exceptional and the attention they received even more. The place itself was incredible and, now, she sighed, it was all gone. Here in Cornwell, the walls were plain white, the light from the torches seemed boring and she had the suspicion that the water wouldn't be warm enough.

But then again, Ginny thought that the constant travelling could be spoiling her somehow. This was the second season she was playing for the Arrows—or for any team, for that matter—and she was thrilled about it. This tournament was, in fact, really brief. Just five matches to play with five days of stay at the chosen location. Nevertheless, it was the most important tournament in England, and the fact that Ginny's team was one of the six involved said a lot.

Ginny headed to her locker without even giving a glance of acknowledgement to the blond man next to her and proceeded to take her robes off without hesitation.

Draco eyed her briefly and continued to take his own clothes; once he got rid of his shirt and threw it in his locker, he stared at the redhead again.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me, Weasley?" he asked, a smirk running across his face. It was funny how Malfoy could get on her nerves so easily.

However, Ginny tried her best not to reply to him, but the egoistical prat next to her was staring at her without blinking.

"Congratulations, Malfoy, you managed to catch the Snitch!" she told him with fake excitement after turning to face him, "Just like every Seeker should," she tapped his shoulder three times with pretended reassurance and faced her locker again.

"You don't have to be so angry about it; it's not my fault that you couldn't get my place," he replied, while throwing his footwear and pants in with the rest of his belongings.

"Oh, come on! I only applied for both places because I wanted to be sure I could enter!" her voice was starting to rise.

"Oh, really? I find that hard to believe," Draco said, with unconcealed superiority in his voice, "but if you say so…"

"I say so!" Ginny yelled with fury. Only clad in her underwear, she threw her blouse inside the locker and shut it as sonorously as she could. The rest of her partners were already in the showers, "And Seekers are a fucking lame excuse for players!"

"Watch your tongue, Weasley. It would be a shame if you only used it to talk nonsense. There are so many productive things you could do with it…" he slowly walked towards her and stood face to face with Ginny.

"You wouldn't be able to handle me."

She stood still and remained quietly defiant. His naked torso and athletic arms were appealing, yes, but she knew better than to surrender so easily.

Draco Malfoy only waited; he thought it was just a matter of seconds until the redhead surrendered to his intimidating self.

However, nobody won this time. In fact, their brief dispute ended abruptly when Leah came back to the room, drying her hair with a towel. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Draco and Ginny's little showdown.

"Not again! You guys should find something else to do; it's starting to creep me out," that said, the girl opened her locker and started to dress, ignoring the two individuals behind her.

Draco ignored the Keeper and kept staring at Ginny.

"Why don't we finish this in the showers?" he asked, feigning seriousness, only to trace a new smirk in his face seconds later.

"You fucking idiot! Haven't I told you I despise you enough times already? I despise you!" she yelled, red with rage. She threw her towel in his face with force and rushed off to the showers.

The Slytherin took the white piece of cloth from his face and smirked handsomely. One, two, three seconds later, and the redhead was back with an angry expression.

"Mine!" she took off the towel from his hands and directed one deadly glance to him before disappearing into the heated fog of the showers.

Angrily, Ginny entered an unoccupied shower and closed the curtains in one single motion, getting rid of her underclothes and placing herself under the warm, delicious water that surrounded her.

As soon as the water touched her pale skin, Ginny sighed in frustration. Her loathing towards Draco Malfoy was so big that her face always turned red with annoyance after their discussions. And what's worse, he was always calm! No matter how many nasty, insulting things she told him, he would never show his anger.

Ginny furiously rubbed her auburn hair in an attempt to scrub every trace of dirt away, but all the effort in the world wasn't enough. Her career as a Quidditch player at one of the most prestigious teams in England was starting to take off and she was about to move from her childhood home to a lovely flat in the heart of Wizarding London. That was great, yes. But, how could it be possible that, no matter how great her life was getting, there would always be Malfoy to ruin her day?

Ginny sighed helplessly, letting herself rest against the wall with the water running through her body and closed her eyes.


"But, how does it feel? Were you nervous? Thrilled?"

"Dear Ron, I wish you could stop being so obnoxious for once," Ginny confessed before taking a sip of her butterbeer, "you've been asking me the same questions for about a year now!"

"Every time is different! Different places, different feelings …"

"Well, if you are so frantic about Quidditch why didn't you choose that over the Auror position?" Ginny asked, taking a glance through the window.

The sunset was almost gone, which gave the streets of Diagon Alley a mysterious light. Everything seemed more mysterious once the sun was gone, Ginny concluded.

They had gone to have dinner at Jarvis' Café, a big but cozy place that served everything from breakfasts to dinners, and that included coffee, of course, and doughnuts—the best chocolate-covered, chocolate-filled doughnuts in the entire Alley.

The redhead noticed that her brother hadn't replied to her question about his chosen career, so she diverted her gaze from the window and searched for his. He was staring blankly.

"Ron?" she asked. Harry looked concerned, as well, but not enough to stop himself from taking a big bite of his hamburger.

"I don't know," Ron muttered, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Harry asked this time, "How come?"

"I don't know!" Ron was freaking out now, Ginny thought. The best plan of action would be to change subjects as soon as possible.

"Erhm, how's Cho, Harry?" she dared to ask, although her mind was still worrying about her brother.

"She's fine, thanks. She's just applied for that internship at the Department of Foreign Affairs I told you about," Harry informed in an excited tone.

"That's great! I hope she gets it," Ginny smiled while bringing a fork full of pasta to her mouth. Her mind wondered briefly and she concluded that, after the initial disgust, and even indignation, she had experienced when she was told about that relationship, she was happy for Harry and Cho.

"Malfoy was good. I saw some smashing pictures of him. Did you notice how he caught the Golden Snitch?" Ron began, after ten seconds of total silence. Ginny wondered who else in the world would call it the 'Golden Snitch' instead of just the 'Snitch'. It was not as if it came in multiple colours.

"No, Ron. I didn't, in fact. But we're not here to talk about bloody Malfoy, are we?" she sighed. Her brother was a lost cause.

"Well, if you want my opinion, I think McLaggen was hideous! He's a shame to the Chudleys!" Ron continued in his diatribe, "did you see the way he let the Quaffle slip? He doesn't deserve to be on such a team!"

"If he'll keep letting me score like that he does; he is making my job easier," she replied, taking one sip from Ron's drink after realising her own was empty, "although I really can't stand the way he looks at me,"

"I've never liked him. He's an ass," Ron hurried to add, putting his drink where it belonged: right in front of him.

"Well, in that case… I think I should ask him out some day," the redhead joked, "he's got a nicely shaped... body, in fact."

Ron kept silent. There were so many things he wanted to voice at the same time, but nothing escaped his pursed lips.

"She's just teasing you, Ron. Don't freak out," Harry laughed while patting his friend's shoulder, "now, who wants dessert?"

"Oh! I want a doughnut!"


Draco Malfoy stood by the window of a well-known bookstore, weighing his options. He could enter and waste a great deal of time looking for some good reading or he could just start on his errands and leave the bookstore for later. After some time of pondering—and looking like a lost kid in the middle of the street—he decided it wouldn't be so much of a crime to go and skim through some books.

Exactly thirty minutes later, Draco left Flourish and Blotts with the rewarding feeling that it had been worth it, carrying a bag with a respectable sum of textbooks, including A Study into the Possibility of Reversing the Actual and Metaphysical Effects of Natural Death, with Particular Regard to the Reintegration of Essence and Matter, Moste Potente Potions and Long Lost Memories of a Disarmed Witch.

What could he say? He loved to read.

"You've been a bad boy, Draco. No more treats for you before dinner," a familiar voice stated from behind him. Draco turned around, smirking.

"How so?" the blond inquired. Blaise Zabini was standing in front of him, a sneer on his vivacious face and his hands in his pockets. He and Draco shared meaningful gazes and, subsequently, proceeded to greet with a strong handshake.

"I heard that you stood Pansy up," Draco's friend informed him as they started walking towards Madam Malkin's.

"She was starting to bore me," confessed the blond after a second's hesitation. Blaise frowned. People hurried past the two Slytherins at a frantic pace, immersed in their own lives.

"Ok, I can see that, but if I were you, I'd have called the whatever-it-was off personally. What happened to you, man?" the dark-skinned man voiced with delicacy, as if making a deadly potion, "You know the saying about scorned women, don't you?"

"I didn't have time to tell her, Blaise," he said with calm, "my mind was on the game."

"Indeed. I hadn't seen you in ages, man," Blaise informed with a hint of accusation in his voice, "How's your feisty teammate? Last time I saw her she was about to hex you," he smirked.

"That hasn't changed, in fact. Weasley still loathes me and I still have fun seeing how she blushes and tries to think of a decent comeback," the blond smiled. That moment in the locker room earlier had been exactly like that, he thought. "She's pretty damn easy to annoy."

Draco entered the clothing shop and headed straight to the counter while Blaise waited at the door. The store seemed bigger once you entered it. With customers everywhere, it could almost be the clothing equivalent for Gringotts, had it not been for the lighthearted air that Malkin's shop provided.

A good-looking, short witch appeared from an unfamiliar place in the second storey and approached Draco with the best of her smiles.

"Mr. Malfoy, such a pleasure! What can I do for you today?" the middle-aged woman asked with sincere curiosity, wandering around the Slytherin and taking in everything she could about his delectable body. "Perhaps some new underwear to amaze your witch? I'd be honoured to help you find some." Draco Malfoy secretly shuddered but gave the saleswoman a polite smile, anyway. This was why he hated coming in here.

"No, thanks. I just wanted to pick up the robes I asked for last week. Are they ready?" he asked in haste, wondering why on Earth he didn't go to Twilfitt and Tatting's.

"Oh! Yes, of course, Mr. Malfoy! I happen to have them right… here!" she said happily while grabbing a bunch of bags from behind the lonely counter, "Six Galleons and thirty four Sickles, it should be," she added, her gaze resting in the blond's strong legs.

"Keep the change," he thanked and turned around to leave, without a second glance towards the agitated woman.

"Don't forget to come back if you need some underwear, Mr. Malfoy! I'll be waiting for you!" she yelled.

"You won't get rid of her if you give her more money than necessary," Blaise smirked once his friend reached him.

"Oh, well," he sighed exaggeratedly, "I forgot about that detail; she was driving me nuts."

They continued walking until Draco was over with his errands and went to an office post to send his acquisitions home. Once done with that, he sighed.

"Leaky Cauldron? Bet Theo will be there already," Blaise suggested after ogling a voluptuous witch on the other side of the street.

"Fine. But I'll disappoint you by leaving early. I've got practice tomorrow." Draco uttered. The night had already settled above their shoulders and there were less people in the streets by now.

"No problem. We'll get drunk and find fine ladies another day," he smirked while passing by Florean Fortescue's Parlour.

"Draco Malfoy?" said an alarmed voice a few metres ahead from the pair. Draco recognised his bothersome teammate and her brother, the one who had called him. Next to him was Harry bloody Potter. Ron came running to his place and the rest followed him, hesitatingly.

"What a coincidence! We were just speaking of fine ladies," Blaise began, directing his gaze to the redhead girl in front of him, "Don't you find it a lovely coincidence, Ginevra?" he smirked.

"Oh, yeah. A lovely one, Zabini. We were just speaking of overrated prats, in fact. What could that mean?" she answered dryly. Her gaze locked with Draco's for a second. Although he had never had a high regard for her, Draco found it amazing that she could be so ruthless with people she barely knew.

"Although I love seeing you act so harshly, that was uncalled for," he pretended to sigh. "I guess we'll have to teach you how to behave, won't we?"

"Don't bother, Blaise, she's untameable. I've tried to teach her myself—it's worthless."

In that instant of awkwardness, with Harry Potter trying to kill the Slytherins with his gaze but saying nothing, Ginny holding her wand inside her pocket just in case, and Malfoy simply staring at her with a deep, handsome smirk, Ron spoke again:

"How did you do that flip with the broom, Malfoy?" he asked out of the blue with a funny expression, although his face was really serious.

"Excuse me?" Draco uttered, taken aback, "are you serious?"

"No, he's not. He is teasing you because he hates you, like everyone else does," Ginny hurried to answer before his brother. What was wrong with him?

"You say so, but you don't mean it," he replied back with a slight sneer, "after all the nights of pleasure we have shared, the least emotion you'd feel for me is hatred," Blaise glanced at his friend and smiled mischievously at the comment. Harry jumped, taking his own wand threateningly.

"Sod off, Malfoy, or prepare to suffer the consequences!"

Draco smirked mockingly at Harry's clichéd line.

"Take that back, Malfoy. You know it's not true. I wouldn't do such a hideous thing even if you were to pay me." Ginny spitted. Her cheeks grew red, angry at the blond's statement.

"I'd pay you," joked the dark-haired Slytherin, "and you wouldn't regret it afterwards."

"You-you touched my little sister?" Ron asked when he realised the events taking place, "My little sister? Answer, Malfoy!" he shouted, suddenly forgetting that he worshipped the blond.

"Oh, my. We have to get out of here. Big bad Weasley is about to explode," Draco mocked, taking one step forward. That family was very easy to annoy, indeed, "what if I did, Weasel?"

"You're dead!" he took his wand and pointed at Draco, waving it furiously. In a matter of seconds, Ginny hold Ron by the wrist and took his wand. Ron stared at her, flabbergasted.

"We're out of here!" she yelled, pushing past Draco with force and taking her brother by the wrist, "Fuck off, Malfoy!"

"I love you too, darling!" he turned around to see the siblings go away with anger and Harry Potter trying to catch them up, and he smiled, pleased, "See you tomorrow!"